Carbon/aluminum paintball barrel with built in silencer

ABSTRACT

A barrel system for a paintball marker that utilizes a carbon or fiberglass outer layer surrounding a hollow aluminum inner layer. The barrel can be manufactured with a woven carbon or fiberglass. The barrel may also use a unidirectional carbon or fiberglass. The unidirectional material utilizes a number of fibers longitudinally oriented along the aluminum bore and a number of fibers biased to the longitudinally oriented fibers. The barrel includes a built in silencer at the muzzle end. The barrel also includes a built in barrel connection at the breech end.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a paintball barrel that utilizes a carbon or fiberglass material that surrounds an aluminum core. The barrel may also utilize a unidirectional carbon of fiberglass with a cross bias. The barrel utilizes a built in silencer. More particularly a barrel that utilizes a woven/non woven carbon or fiberglass material that is wrapped around an aluminum tube, the fibers contained within the barrel are composed of a vibration dampening material. Another particularly method of the barrel utilizes an aluminum tube as an insert into a woven carbon or fiberglass tube with a greater diameter. The hollow aluminum bore is glued into the woven tube to form the carbon/aluminum barrel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Paintball barrels at the present time are an aluminum tube or all carbon material. The problems with the aluminum barrel are any thin walled barrel can bend or break under pressure. Another disadvantage with aluminum is thick walled barrels tend to add weight to the marker. Another disadvantage with aluminum the barrel tend to sweat or condensate under certain weather conditions, also the barrel may absorb the heat and humidity that exist in the outdoors. Carbon barrels consist of different problems. The main problem with carbon barrels is when the paint ball travels through the barrel it wears down the resin coating on the inside of the barrel. The resin coating inside the barrel will wear away in a short time, exposing the carbon fibers. Once the fibers are exposed it will create breakage of the paintball when it passes through the barrel. The other major problem with all carbon barrels are the portholes that are drilled in the muzzle end of the barrel. The portholes are used as a method to reduce the noise when the air exists the barrel. As the paintball travels past the portholes it will start to pick at the fibers around the portholes, exposing the fibers.

The present invention eliminates many of these problems by utilizing a woven carbon barrel with an aluminum core and a built in silencer. The fibers, woven carbon or fiberglass are used as a vibration dampening material.

The advantage of a combination of carbon and aluminum provide a very strong, durable barrel that is lightweight.

Another advantage of the present invention is portholes can be drilled in the barrel without affecting the carbon fibers.

Another advantage of the present invention is the aluminum core protects the carbon fibers so the resin will not wear away.

Another advantage of the present invention is the woven material will act an a insulator for the aluminum core, heat and humidity will not affect the aluminum.

Another advantage of the present invention is the woven material is a vibration or silencing material.

Another advantage is a built in silencer on the muzzle end will greatly reduce the sound as a paint ball exists the barrel so no port holes are needed.

What is Claimed

A paintball barrel that utilizes a carbon or fiberglass cover with an aluminum interior:

-   1. A paintball barrel with a built in silencer. -   2. A paintball barrel wherein the cover material is a woven or     vibration dampening material. -   3. A paintball barrel wherein the cover material is a plurality of     unidirectional carbon or fiberglass fibers embedded in a resin. -   4. A paintball barrel wherein the cover material is a woven carbon     or fiberglass pre-preg. -   5. A paintball barrel wherein the barrel cover is a woven carbon or     fiberglass with an hollow aluminum core. -   6. A paintball barrel wherein the method of manufacture is wrapping     the material around an aluminum tube. -   7. A paintball barrel wherein the barrel has an aluminum tube glued     into a woven carbon or fiberglass cover, unidirectional fibers may     also be used. -   8. A paintball barrel that utilizes the extended aluminum tube in     the breech end as a barrel back extension that clamps into the paint     ball marker.

DESCRIPTION Summary of the Invention

A paintball barrel of present invention wherein the barrel is a combination of carbon or fiberglass and aluminum. The paintball barrel utilizes woven material as a cover around a hollow aluminum tube, unidirectional carbon or fiberglass may also be used. The barrel also has a built in silencer at the muzzle end and a built in barrel connection at the breech end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the carbon/aluminum barrel with built-in silencer.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of the present invention.

FIG. 3 depicts an aluminum tube being inserted in a woven cover in the method of manufacture.

FIG. 4 depicts the present invention with an aluminum barrel extension at the breech end used when a clamping system attaches the barrel to the marker.

FIG. 5 shows an interior-section of the barrel with a barrel adapter installed in the breech end.

FIG. 6 shows a woven material being wrapped around an aluminum tube in the method of manufacture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The carbon/aluminum barrel (FIG. 5) of the present invention comprises of a thin walled aluminum tube 1, a woven carbon or fiberglass cover 2 and a binder holding them together. In the first step a sheet of woven/non woven material 3 embedded in a resin is trimmed to produce a pattern. The aluminum tube 4 is coated with a tacking agent 5 which allows the material to adhere on the aluminum tube 4.

As can be seen best in FIG. 6 the woven material 3 is rolled around the aluminum tube 4 by hand or by using a rolling table which has a top portion that slidingly engages a bottom portion. The aluminum tube 4 with pattern attached are placed on the bottom portion of the rolling table and the top portion rolls over the bottom portion causing the woven material 3 to roll onto the aluminum tube 4. This process gives great compression of the material to the aluminum.

In the next step the carbon/aluminum barrel FIG. 1 is covered with a polypropylene tape or a release film, by using a cello wrapping machine that puts a tension controlled tape on the barrel. This gives the material greater compression on the aluminum tube.

Next, the carbon aluminum barrel is heated to about 250-300 degrees Fahrenheit for the proper time. The heating causes the resin to cure producing a strong barrel by the combination of the woven material and aluminum. The release film or tape prevents the material from melting and falling off the aluminum tube. Also, the tape shrinks when heated and creates a better lamination of the fibers.

As can be seen best in FIG. 1 the aluminum tube 7 is covered with a silencing material 8 such as woven carbon or fiberglass. The muzzle is covered with three additional wraps of material 8 to form a silencer 9. The additional wraps of material 8 helps to reduce the sound as air exits the barrel.

As can be seen best in FIG. 2 the woven material 10 is formed around an aluminum tube.

FIG. 3 shows another method in the manufacture of the barrel, an aluminum tube 12 is inserted into a carbon or fiberglass tube 13. The aluminum tube is glued inside the woven tube. Unidirectional fibers may also be used.

FIG. 4 of the present invention shows the carbon/aluminum barrel 14 with an extension of the aluminum tube 15 to be used for a clamping style marker wherein the barrel is secured to the marker by a clamping system at the breech end.

FIG. 5 shows a barrel adapter 16 on the end of the barrel that is threaded at the end. This adapter is used to screw into a threaded marker. The breech end 15 can also be threaded 17 to secure the barrel to the marker. FIG. 5 also shows a cut away section with aluminum tube 1 core and a woven carbon or fiberglass cover 2. 

1. A paintball barrel that utilizes a hollow bore surrounded by a thin metallic inner layer and a carbon or graphite outer layer
 2. A paintball barrel with a built in silencer.
 3. A paintball barrel according to claim 2, wherein the cover material is a woven or vibration dampening material.
 4. A paintball barrel according to claim 1, wherein the cover material is a plurality of unidirectional carbon or fiberglass fibers embedded in a resin.
 5. A paintball barrel according to claim 1, wherein the cover material is a woven carbon or fiberglass pre-preg.
 6. A paintball barrel according to claim 1, wherein the inner layer is aluminum.
 7. A paintball barrel according to claim 1, wherein the barrel cover is unidirectional fibers that is manufactured from graphite or fiberglass.
 8. A paintball barrel wherein the method of manufacture is wrapping the material around an aluminum tube.
 9. A paintball barrel according to claim 7, wherein the barrel has an aluminum tube glued into a woven carbon or fiberglass cover.
 10. A paintball barrel according to claim 1, that utilizes the extended aluminum tube in the breech end as a barrel back that clamps into the paintball marker. 